Monday, June 25, 2012

Twelve
Step recovery programs are well known for use in recovery from addictive or
dysfunctional behaviors. The first 12 step program began with Alcoholics Anonymous
(A.A.) in the 1930s. The 12 Step approach has since grown to be the most widely
used approach in dealing with not only alcoholism, but also drug abuse and
various other addictive or dysfunctional behaviors.

In addition to working all of the Steps with their mentor,
residents will be taught numerous life skills
and practices crucial to their recovery, including: money, career, goal setting, organizational
skills, nutrition, physical exercise, meditation, impulse control,
communication skills, giving back to the community and their families, and spiritual laws which impact how they have
been living their lives. And last, but most importantly, they will develop a
personal relationship with their Higher Power, a relationship which promotes
inner peace and a sense that all is well.

The programs designed by Above It All Drug Rehab
start off with an inpatient detox followed by residential treatments. A Sober
lifestyle then begins in one of the Oxford homes. Diagnosis is known as one of
the most important parts of recovering and that is exactly what sets Above It All Drug Rehab
apart from the rest of the pack. A 12
step adaptation program is the key to the success of their clientele. If you are
looking for an LA
Drug Rehab Center, give Above It All a call.

Monday, June 18, 2012

We hear a lot of talk these days about bath salts and the
most common two questions that I hear are “what are bath salts “ and “I thought
you used those in bathwater”. The
confusion comes in the name. There are bath salts that are used in bath water;
however, these are not the bath salts that you are hearing about today. The bath salts you here about today is a drug
that is formed from methylenedioxypyrovalerone, although newer pyrovalerone
derivatives are being made by illegal street chemists.

Bath salts can usually be found in mini-marts and smoke
shops sold as Ivory White, Bolivian Bath and other names and are usually
labeled “not for human consumption” which allows them to avoid being labeled as
illegal. Most law enforcement officials
believe that eventually all of these chemicals will become illegal. Being illegal, however, does not mean that
they will disappear. Cocaine, marijuana
and heroin are illegal but they are all still out there for consumption, which
leads to addiction problems. Bath salts
will likely follow that trend.

Bath Salts are very scary in that when using them you
experience agitation, paranoia, chest pains suicidal feelings an increased
pulse and high blood pressure. Some of
the suicidal feelings have resulted in suicides several days after bath salt
use. As for being addictive, they have
not been around long enough to know if they are or not but that may be a moot
point if the suicidal feelings enter your mind after the first use.

Will bath salts stay around?
The answer is probably because as with any new drug, they are under the
radar like most designer drugs and are constantly changing as drug makers will
keep creating new combinations at home and in illicit drug labs.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Oxycontin is a pain reliever that was introduced in
1995. Its main ingredient is
Oxycodone. Oxycontin is specifically
meant to treat moderate and severe pain but can also be used to treat several
other conditions including constipation, anxiety and cough symptoms. Within a few years of the introduction of
Oxycontin the many cases of Oxycontin misuse and abuse began, especially among
teenagers.

Most abusers of Oxycontin are seeking the rush and the
feeling of euphoria that it creates along with the feelings of lightheadedness,
release from inhibitions, stress and pain relief. Oxycontin produces the same effects that
heroin produces.

Oxycontin addiction is a physical dependence that is
unavoidable when a person is taking a high dosage for a long period of
time. The body adapts and develops a
tolerance for the drug and it becomes so powerful that it actually produces
cravings for it. Cravings for Oxycontin
result from its impact on an individual’s memory of the feelings of euphoria
and pleasantness that it associates with the ingesting of Oxycontin.

Like other addictive drugs, Oxycontin is able to short
circuit your survival system by artificially stimulating the reward center, or
the pleasure center of your brain without anything beneficial happening to your
body.

There are a number of effective options to treat a
dependence on Oxycontin and other prescription opioids and to help manage the
severe withdrawal symptoms that accompany sudden cessation of drug use. They include treatment programs using
methadone along with behavioral approaches.
Once the patient completes detoxification, the treatment provider must
then work with the patient to determine which course of treatment would best
suit the needs of the patient.

Rapid detox is the most recent entry into the field of
opiate detoxification. It treats opiate dependency at the receptor level,
blocking opioid receptors and precipitating the withdrawal syndrome, while
controlling it. This is achieved through use of medications, including
anesthetic agents that allow withdrawal to occur, while the patient is
unconscious.